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Eco is the Way to Go at Pitti Uomo 95

a cura di MAGENTA FLORENCE

08 gennaio 2019

After years of fast fashion, targeted to follow the trends in the quickest and cheapest way possible, the industry’s standards are rising. Eco fashion is gaining growing attention worldwide, as shown by Because there is no Planet B, the eco-friendly mission of Ecoalf, a pioneer in the world of sustainable fashion; at the Pitti Uomo men’s trade show (January 8 – 11), the company will be presenting a made in Italy genderless capsule collection relying entirely on sustainable and recycled materials. Mindful shopping has never been so popular. The industry is steering towards a more sustainable pace, aiming for quality clothing, artisanal workmanship and ethical labor.

This trend is evident in many of the sections at Pitti Uomo. The first of the three traditional winter appointments showcasing 'Pitti Immagine' fashion trade fairs, it is followed by Pitti Bimbo children’s wear (January 17 - 19) and Pitti Filati fabrics and yarns (January 23 - 25). The 95th edition of the world’s most important platform for men’s clothing and contemporary lifestyle will be spotlighting collections by 1230 brands for fall-winter 2019/20.

The Fortezza da Basso, Florence's largest historical landmark, is the headquarters of Pitti Uomo, where designers, buyers and the press gather twice a year to follow an itinerary in 13 sections that gives a complete overview of men’s fashion. This year, a polished geography set in the exhibition’s pavilions presents the excellence of the new classic companies in combination with labels that embody the modernity of sportswear, the high range street style and the top names in cutting-edge design.

Among the main events at the Fortezza is the second edition of Scandinavian Manifesto in the Arena Strozzi. Some emerging designers from Northern Europe, such as L'Homme Rouge, Forét and Unridden, highlight their styles in a specially designed layout which blends sustainable fashion, art and design.

Hugo Costa, Labuta, and other creative names representing Portugal, Guest Nation of Pitti Uomo 95, will be on show in the Spazio Carra, on the lower level of the Main Pavilion thanks to Fondazione Pitti Immagine Discovery.

Japan is sending six finalists of the Tokyo Fashion Award, aimed to select fashion brands from Tokyo with an international appeal. Their collections can be viewed in an area at the Medici Pavilion.

FOR THE PUBLIC

Outside the Fortezza the spotlight is on events for the insiders in selected locations of the city.

If fragrances are your weakness, the Master Perfumer Sileno Cheloni, the nose of the prestigious Aquaflor, will present “Sangue Blu” (Blue Blood) scent in his new boutique in Oltrarno’s San Niccolò neighborhood (Jan. 7, 2 – 8 pm).

How a dress is made will be the object of a conference held by Matteo Ward, CEO of the sustainable fashion brand Wrad, at the Student Hotel with an exclusive viewing of the short film “Who Made My Clothes?” (Jan. 8, 5 pm).

The Menswear Guest Designer Glenn Martens, the Belgian creative director of Paris-based label Y/PROJECT, will unveil his new collection in the course of a special evening at the Chiostro Grande in Santa Maria Novella (Jan. 9, 6 pm).

Among the free admission events is Art-Meets-Fashion at the Dogana, organized by Haculla, a brand inspired by the work of the street artist Harif Guzman, under the creative direction of the Chinese-American entrepreneur, fashion designer, and artist Jon Koon. The fashion show displaying the FW 2019/20 collection is held within an artistic installation dedicated to the evolution of New York street art and the use of innovative materials (Jan. 8 & 9, from 9 am to 6 pm).

At the Stazione Leopolda the 70th anniversary of Diadora, the Italian sport & lifestyle brand, will be celebrated with It Plays Something Else, a contemporary performance art installation curated by Davide Giannella. The show will involve a series of artists who interpret the concept of speed through various expressive languages. They are Ducati Monroe, Maisie Cousins, Gabber Eleganza, Invernomuto and Patrick Tuttofuoco (Jan. 9 & 10, 11 am - 7 pm)

Slam Jam, the online store dedicated to urban subcultures, has put together festivities for its 30th anniversary in collaboration with Carhartt WIP, Nike and Stussy with a series of multi-disciplinary exhibitions mixing contemporary art and streetwear at the Marino Marini Museum. The displays will be open to public from January 9 - 14, from 10 am to 7 pm, in accordance with the Marini’s normal opening hours. Exclusive context-specific items will be also be sold in the museum shop.

For pure art aficionados, the 20th century collection of Roberto Casamonti will be accessible to the public in Palazzo Bartolini Salimbeni in piazza Santa Trinita (Jan. 8, 5 to 8 pm; Jan. 9 to 11, from 11: 30 am to 8 pm).

Opening in the Pitti Palace on January 8, a special display, “Animalia Fashion” will be hosted by the Pitti Palace’s Fashion and Costume Museum through May 5. The retrospective was conceived as a celebration of the wonders of graphic zoological representation, from the ancient world and medieval manuscripts to the contemporary animal prints by Roberto Cavalli and the garden wonderland by Alessandro Michele, creative director of Gucci.

Spanning the years from 2000 – 2018, this whimsical and creative show zooms in on designs and prints on clothes, accessories and jewelry which pay tribute to the animal kingdom. The visitor can expect to be drawn into colors and shapes inspired by exotic wild beasts, birds, fish, insects and shells. Drawings and zoological exhibits round out the experience to offer a glimpse into the intersection between fashion and the natural world.

The Casa Martelli Historical Home has organized a guided and free tour inside its rooms to discover the Rococò pleasures through the five senses on Jan. 10, at 5 pm.

INSIDE PITTI UOMO

For the Pitti Italics Special Event much is expected of Aldo Maria Camillo’s debut of his signature brand ALDOMARIACAMILLO. The Roman designer, former creative director of Cerruti 1881, who collaborated with Valentino and Ermenegildo Zegna, will inaugurate his first collection conceived as an ideal wardrobe for the modern man at the Alcatraz in the Stazione Leopolda (Jan. 10, 5 pm).

Runway shows will take place in the Dogana area on Via Valfonda with the most interesting names from South Korea in The Beyond Close fashion show (Jan. 9, 2 pm) and in the stunning setting of the 15th century Palazzo Antinori, where the sartorial elegance of Canali, a luxury Italian brand since 1934, will be showcased (Jan. 9, 6 pm).

Gucci will inaugurate the new layout of the Period Room in the Gucci Garden, the exhibition space dedicated to the heritage of the Florentine fashion house in the historic Palazzo della Mercanzia in Piazza della Signoria. It will display the animal motifs of California artist Jayde Fish’s mural “The Stories of Creation,” which will be featured on a Gucci Garden exclusive line as well as imaginative works by Spanish artist-photographer Coco Capitán (by invitation only on Jan. 8, 6:30 - 9 pm).

Special conferences will be organized around the city. At the British Institute during a round table named UK-Italy: Lessons in Sustainable Fashion, representatives from Burberry, Stella McCartney and Vivienne Westwood and the British designers Christopher Raeburn and Bav Tailor will talk about the cooperation between Italian and British fashion companies and their common commitment to valuable and ethical fashion. It will be hosted by Orsola de Castro, co-founder of Fashion Revolution, the global movement with the mission to make clothing in a safe, clean and fair way (by invitation only, Jan. 9, 9:30 am).

Check the complete program on the website. (celeste giampietro collins)